Dyeing is the process of imparting color to a textile or another material. Textiles are typically loose fiber dyed, yarn dyed, cloth dyed, or garment dyed. Most dyes are either derived from natural or artificial sources. Natural dyes are typically derived from mineral sources, or animal or plant materials. Artificial dyes are typically produced by chemical synthesis or they may be made by chemically modifying natural dyes. Artificial dyes generally achieve a broader range of colors and are generally more stable than natural dyes.
Different classes of dyes are used for different types of textile fibers and at different stages of the textile production process, from loose fibers, through to yarn and cloth, and completed garments. For example, acrylic fibers are typically dyed with basic dyes, nylon and protein fibers such as wool and silk are typically dyed with acid dyes, and polyester yarn is typically dyed with disperse dyes. Cotton fibers, yarn cloth, and completed garments are dyed with a range of dye types including vat dyes, which are similar to natural dyes, and modern, artificial dyes, such as reactive dyes and direct dyes.